From a reader:
...an LCG picnic in the Sacramento area is responsible for members getting COVID. Super spreader event perhaps? The illustrious hireling jeffrey fall (area pastor) said that a number of people who were at the picnic "happened" to get COVID.As if the gathering wasn't the event that helped the virus spread. Because LCG isn't a transparent "church" that will be truthful or open about this, I wanted to put it out there.
Imagine that! A Church of God talking about propaganda! Given the history of Rod Meredith and Global/Living Church of God, they'd better be cautious when they start accusing others of propaganda, but, I digress.
LCG Paul Kern has an article up on their website that discusses propaganda, The Chief Propagandist.
He starts off by giving going after the news media and then gives a definition of propaganda, which incidentally sounds exactly like what goes on in the current corporate Churches of God!
Propaganda is defined by AHDictionary.com as “the systematic propagation of a doctrine or cause or of information reflecting the views and interests of those advocating such a doctrine or cause.” The information that is propagated fits the agenda of the organization propagating it—and it’s important to understand that this is not just a modern-day issue. This credibility crisis is not new. Who is the one ultimately responsible for pushing misinformation, spreading half-truths, and eliminating important facts from a particular narrative in order to paint a picture different from the reality of an issue?
The answer to that question, when we think about it from a biblical perspective, is quite obvious—and it’s not CNN. When we look at the credibility crisis and we see the confusion in the world today, we should know that Satan the devil is ultimately the one behind it. He uses CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and other news outlets, but he is ultimately the one propagating the confusion.
And, in fact, false and twisted information existed long before news outlets and social media. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is replete with examples of propaganda being used to destroy people’s reputations and lives. Let’s examine how Satan has used propaganda throughout biblical history in his attempts to disrupt the Work of God and destroy God’s people, and then take a look at a more recent example of how our adversary can use propaganda to influence entire nations.
Kern then moves to the first example of propaganda the church believes in, that old snake in the Garden of Eden:
Satan used propaganda and misinformation in Eden. “Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, ‘Has God indeed said, “You shall not eat of every tree of the garden”?’” (Genesis 3:1). Satan sowed a seed of doubt in Eve’s mind, causing confusion right from the beginning. That’s how he operates.
Matthew 24:9 reads, “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.” How will Satan bring the world to the point where it hates God’s people?
The answer, of course, is propaganda. All those people in the Church of God are so full of hate. They don’t support LGBTQ rights. They don’t support a woman’s right to choose abortion. They don’t even do their civic duty and vote. What’s their problem? Why don’t they love people? Those people are evil. They’re even saying that our nation is going down the drain—those people aren’t patriotic. Those people are against us.
This attitude is something we need to expect at some time in the future, because it will lead to the persecution of God’s people. Ultimately, it will reach the point where Satan himself will inspire the beast and the false prophet, and all the world will follow their system. And if we’re not part of that system, we’ll be considered evil.
“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:23–24). We’ll see incredible cunning and deceit in the years ahead. Satan’s greatest propaganda campaign is yet to occur, and we need to be alert to it. We need to be aware that Satan’s endgame is to destroy God’s people, and he will use propaganda in his attempts to achieve that result.
So, we must examine the agenda behind any source to which we look for information. Before reading a book or an article, ask, Who is the author? Where did the author grow up? What’s the author’s outlook on life? Does the author believe in God? Not everything an atheist author writes will be wrong, but we must ask such questions and be aware that every individual or news outlet will be pushing a particular bias. When we recognize that bias, we can more accurately sift through the half-truths and misinformation we come across.
COG members should examine the agendas of today's corporate Church of God and use critical thinking to discern who is actually telling the truth. It is going to be a long search as there are not too many truthful COG leaders out there.
The way to avoid being deceived is to stay close to Almighty God and to read sources we can trust, such as material from God’s true ministry. The one source of truth is not CNN, not Fox News, and not any social media outlet—the one source of truth is God’s word. So, keep your nose in that word, keep watching world events, and be aware of Satan, the chief propagandist, who wants to destroy God’s Work and His people.
Reading God's word and listening to church leaders interpret that word are two different things. COG members should throw out every single book, booklet, and article written by ANY past or current leader today. You might be surprised that what you discover is NOT what they are currently teaching you.
Propaganda in the Church of God has kept it in operation for 80 some years and will continue even as each group shrinks in numbers until people finally wake up.
From an RCG source:
Announcements: Pentecost
The Feast of Pentecost (Sunday, June 5) is just over a week away!
As a reminder, an offering will be taken up on this Holy Day.
In advance of this time, God’s people should reflect on (WHY AM I GOING TO GIVE $$ IF CHRIST APPEARS ON THAT DAY?!!!) how He has blessed them throughout the year and devote sufficient time preparing these crucial offerings for God’s Work.
